Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan. Vol 4(1) 2018
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Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan. Vol 4(1) 2018 JOURNAL OF BORNEO-KALIMANTAN(JBK) The Iban Textiles Alexander Chelum1*, Anna Durin2, Connie Lim Keh Nie3, Muhammad Qawiem bin Hamizan4, and Mohd Jefri bin Samaroon5. 1,2,3,4,5Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts Universiti Malaysia Sarawak 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak *Corresponding author Email address: [email protected] ABSTRACT The Iban traditional textiles are very well decorated with beautiful motifs. Some motifs are small and simple but some are complex (Durin, 2011). Both the simple and complex motifs are embedded meaning and symbols which depict the Iban traditional culture especially their traditional beliefs. This research aims to relate the motif of the Iban Textile and their traditional belief. Secondly, this research is also to analyse the usage of Pua Kumbu traditionally and currently. The data collection are carried out through observation and interviewing the experts in Iban textiles weaving in Kuching, Betong and Bintulu. The analysis method is used for the data collection is content analysis. In the research finding it is proven that the usage Pua Kumbu currently is not only confined to ritual purposes but also for the daily used as decorative accessories. It’s also proven, not only the Iban community weave the Pua Kumbu but few communities also weave the Iban’s textile motif. For example, Azmeer Sharkawi in Betong. Keywords: Iban traditional belief, meaning and symbols, traditional culture, Iban textiles, motifs. INTRODUCTION The Iban traditional textiles are very beautifully decorated with motifs and those motifs were created through the environment where the Iban lives. Some motifs were made through the inspirations of animals, reptiles and plants. Some motifs are even inspired by the traditional belief and so those motifs have ethics such as taboos. The textiles which really has motifs with taboos is the one that is made for ritual purposes such as “Pua Kumbu”. As culture change, not only the Iban community weave the Pua Kumbu but few communities also weave the Iban’s textile motif. The usage of the Pua Kumbu also for ritual but also for daily used such as table cloths, curtain and bag. PROBLEM STATEMENT The Iban’s Traditional Textile were decorated with beautiful motif. All this motif reflects the environment and the traditional belief of the Iban community. One of the Iban traditional textile called Pua Kumbu. Pua Kumbu traditional where was used for ritual purposes. Issues of this research is about the symbols and motif of the textile. Secondly, it’s also about the usage of the Pua Kumbu both traditionally and currently. OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH 1. To relate the motif of the Iban Textile and their traditional belief. 2. To analyse the usage of Pua Kumbu traditionally and currently. Alexander Chelum, Anna Durin, Connie Lim Keh Nie, Muhammad Qawiem bin Hamizan, and Mohd J RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The data collection is carried out through observation and interviewing the experts in Iban textiles weaving in Kuching, Betong and Bintulu. The observation was carried out at Sarawak Cultural Village, Tun Jugah Foundation, Betong and Bintulu. The informants for the interviews were Baling anak Anggi (2012) Daya anak Jelikan (2012) Amboh anak Masing (2012) and Sandine Benedict (2015), Azmeer Sharkawi (2015). The data collection was analysed by using “content analysis methodology” so the discussion and findings were divided into two main themes. These themes were created through the objectives of this research such “symbols and meanings of motifs” and “The Usage of Pua Kumbu Traditionally and currently. Research Material Books and journal for the literature review. LITERATURE REVIEW The Iban community is the largest ethnic group in Sarawak. Iban people is categorize under the Malay Pronto group which is the same as Sumatera Malay and Peninsular Malaysia (Freeman, 1995:6). According to Sather, (1984), the Iban, formerly known as 'Sea Dyaks', are vigorous, outwardly expansive people of West-Central Borneo, approximately 400 000 people in Sarawak. Despite the increase number towards urban migration, the majority of the Iban still live in Longhouse settlements along the main rivers and smaller streams of the interior and subcoastal districts. Most of the Iban who live in the longhouse still practice shifting hill-rice agriculture, supplemented by the cultivation of perennial cash crops, most notably rubber (Sather 1994: 66). As they made up of majority of Sarawak’s population, today, the Iban could be found over the Sarawak state. The Ibans, whose majority still reside in the longhouse (Gana, 1998:17). By tradition, the Iban are the riverine people, living in longhouse communities located along the main rivers and small streams of the rested interior. Here they live as subsistence shifting cultivators with rice as their main crop. Looking from the view of their belief, they are still holding to their traditional animism belief which inherited from one generation to another generation (Umbat 1998). Before the arrival of Christianity, the Iban do not have any religions as they are seen practicing their pagan belief and they strongly belief their lifestyle are closely related to the cosmology. As once summarized by Appell (2001), “The Iban World incorporates both humans and gods and spirits in a relatively seamless fashion and different aspects of this world are perceived through changing levels of consciousness”. The life in the nature word is refered to the birds or omens. In the other hand, the Iban also belief their life are closely related to the world of God known as menoa petara. The Iban cosmos was divided into the overlapping categories of mensia (human) and antu or petara (spirits). The interaction between the human and spirit are occurred constantly in burong (augury), piring (sacrificial acts), and mimpi (dreams). Majority of the Iban had converted to Christianity over the past decades and they practice their traditional customs, ceremonies, oral traditions and functional rituals in the longhouse socio-cultural contexts (Kedit, 1980; Pringle, 1970). Although the wave of modernization had brought economic growth in Iban society, but the belief of animism’s belief is still strongly embedded in Iban’s lifestyle. Viewing from the animism belief, the Iban belief system is related to the living things such as the birds, animals, insects which are closely related to the spirit world. Therefore, the movements of these living things related to their spirits are always being observed as a sign, warning or as an indication of inquiry and invitation from the deities or spirits. Therefore, it is not surprised the motif uses in Iban textile are based on the nature resources such as the animals and plants. The Iban believes that these motifs are embedded with specific meanings related to the cosmology. In the context of community, the symbol had become a sign, a characteristic, a symbol or symbolic emblem comes with abstract meanings which convey a message to a scenario or an idea to a person. Journal of Borneo -Kalimantan. Vol 4(1) 2018 2 Alexander Chelum, Anna Durin, Connie Lim Keh Nie, Muhammad Qawiem bin Hamizan, and Mohd J Durin (2014), has done a research on Iban Bemban Mat which were woven with beautiful motif. The motif of the bemban mat are similar to the motif of the Iban traditional textile. Both the complex motif which bemban and Iban textile have taboos. Although her research has done on motif and the taboos, it didn’t cover on the textile motif and their taboos and also changes of the usage of Iban textile from traditional and current usage which are emphasis in this research. DISCUSSION AND FINDING The usage of Pua Kumbu traditionally In the olden days, the Iban textile aspecially Pua Kumbu is used in the ritual ceremonies related to God, Goddess or Deities. In the past, it is a must in the Iban community for every household (Ruang Bilik) or a family to own at least one piece of Pua Kumbu. This is because Pua Kumbu is indispensably important for ceremonies such as marriage (Nikah), death (Mati), baby-born ceremonies (Nyambut Nembiak Baru Ada), Gawai celebration and ritual. Pua Kumbu plays an important role during the wedding ceremony. During the wedding ceremony, Pua Kumbu was used to decorate the compartment space. The bride and groom will sit on a Gong under the canopy of Pua Kumbu and be ready to accept the blessing from elder. When there is a relative who passed away, the Pua Kumbu will be gang as a curtain to protect the dead soul. In addition, Pua Kumbu is also used as a Pandong to store the gift in a sloping ceremony. Commonly, for important ceremony, Pua Kumbu weaved with complex motif is used to perform the ritual. It is seen that the Pua Kumbu plays a significant role in the traditional society. It is used in various ceremonies and ritual such as wedding ceremony, festivals, child bathing ceremonies, funeral rituals, agricultural rituals and etc. During the ritual Gawai Batu, the Pua Kumbu is used to wrap the stone known as Batu Basah. During the funeral ritual, Pua Kumbu will be used as sapat to protect the dead body. Besides, Pua Kumbu also used as a pandong, which is a place to put the sacrifices during the paddy planting ceremony. During the wedding ceremony, the Pua Kumbu will be used to decorate the space known as tempat bersanding, where the bride and bridegroom seated. The couple will be seated on top of the gong under the Pua Kumbu canopy and ready to receive the blessings from the elderly. The usage of Pua Kumbu currently Today, the usage of Iban’s textile had changed. It had become decorative accessories, a piece of art work displaying on the wall, table cloth, beg and other newly invented artwork solely for decorative usage.